Modular wine rack

ABSTRACT

A modular wine rack has multiple wine rack modules and multiple connectors. The wine rack modules are stacked to form the modular wine rack. The connectors are mounted between the wine rack modules to fasten the wine rack modules securely together. Therefore, the wine rack modules can be disassembled to many wine rack modules to occupy a small volume when stored or transported because the connectors keep the wine rack modules from inadvertently detach easily from each other. Furthermore, the modular wine rack will not collapse easily. The modular wine rack can have as many wine rack modules as the user needs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a modular wine rack, especially to amodular wine that not only can be built and expanded easily but also hasa compact packing size when being transported.

2. Description of the Prior Arts

Wines have been popular for thousands of years and are particularlypopular modem beverages. High-quality wine is distributed and stored ina bottle with a cork stopper. To keep the wine from spoiling and turningto vinegar, the cork stopper must be kept wet so the cork will notshrink and allow outside air into the bottle of the wine. Consequently,bottles of wine have been stored horizontally for centuries so the winekeeps the cork stopper wet.

With reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, a conventional stackable wine rackmodule (60) to hold bottles of wine was invented to expand a wine rackfor use in the home. Each conventional stackable wine rack module (60)comprises two panels (61), multiple connecting tubes (62) and multiplescrews (70). Each panel (61) has an upper edge, a lower edge, multiplethrough holes (611), multiple fastening holes (612) and multiple notches(613). The through holes (611) are formed through the panel (61) andcorrespond to a bottle of the wine. The fastening holes (612) are formedthrough the panel (61). The notches (613) are formed in the top andbottom edges of each panel (61). The connecting tubes (62) are mountedbetween two fastening holes (612) panels (61), and each connecting tube(62) has a threaded hole (621). The threaded hole (621) is formedcoaxially through the connecting tube (62). The screws (70) protrudethrough the fastening holes (612) in the panel (61) and screw into thethreaded holes (621) to fasten the two panels (61) to the connectingtubes (62) to form a single stackable wine rack module (60). However, asingle stackable wine rack module (60) only holds a few bottles of wine.A wine rack module that is big enough to hold more bottles of wine isnot stored or transported easily. By placing used wine bottle corks (80)in the notches (613) on the top edge of the panels (61), anotherstackable wine racks (60) can be stacked on the first stackable winerack (60) by placing the notches (613) in the bottom edges of the panels(61) on the corks (80) to expand the wine rack module to hold morebottles of wine. However, the stacked wine racks modules (60) easilycollapse when shaken or bumped. The corks (80) and the notches (613) arenot strong enough to hold the adjacent panels (61) in place.

To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a wine rackthat not easily collapses to mitigate or obviate the aforementionedproblems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide a modular winerack that can be disassembled to many wine rack modules to occupy asmall volume when stored or transported. The modular wine rack hasmultiple wine rack modules and multiple connectors. The wine racks arestacked to form the modular wine rack. The connectors are mountedbetween the wine rack modules to fasten the wine rack modules securelytogether. Therefore, the wine rack modules can be disassembled to manywine rack modules to occupy a small volume when stored or transportedbecause the connectors allow the wine rack modules to be detached easilyfrom each other while keeping the modular wine rack from inadvertentlycollapsing. The modular wine rack can have as many wine rack modules asthe user needs.

Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention willbecome more apparent from the following detailed description when takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a modular wine rack in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the modular wine rack assemblyin FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of a complex jointbetween wine rack modules of the modular wine rack assembly in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of two linear connectors of themodular wine rack in FIG. 1 used to form a complex connector;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one-piece complex connector for themodular wine rack in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged side view in partial section of a joint betweenwine rack modules in the modular wine rack in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged side view in partial section of an alternate jointconfiguration between wine rack modules in a modular wine rack inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a conventional stackable wine rackassembly in accordance with the prior art; and

FIG. 9 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of a complex joint inthe conventional stackable wine rack assembly in FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a modular wine rack in accordance withthe present invention comprises multiple wine rack modules (100),multiple linear connectors (40) and at least one optional complexconnector (400).

Each wine rack module (100) comprises two panels (10), multipleconnecting tubes (20, 30) and multiple fasteners (50).

Each panel (10) has an outer edge, multiple through holes (11) andmultiple fastening holes (12) and may be triangular, square, polygonal,etc. The through holes (11) are formed through the panel (10) andcorrespond to bottles of wine. The fastening holes (12) are formedthrough the panel (10) and may be near the outer edge of the panel (10).

With further reference to FIGS. 3 and 7, the connecting tubes (20, 30)are mounted between the panels (10) to connect two panels (10) togetherto form the wine rack module (100). Each connecting tube (20, 30) hastwo ends and a fastening hole (21, 311) and may have at least one neck(31). The fastening hole (21, 311) is formed longitudinally throughconnecting tube (20, 30), aligns with the fastening hole (12) in thepanel (10) and may be threaded. The neck (31) is formed on an end of theconnecting tube (30) and is thinner than the connecting tube (30). Inthe preferred embodiment, each connecting tube (20, 30) may have twonecks (31) formed respectively on the ends of the connecting tube (30).

With further reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, the fasteners (50) extendrespectively through the fastening holes (12) in the panels (10),connect respectively to the fastening holes (21, 311) in the connectingtubes (20, 30) and may be screws.

With further reference to FIG. 5, the connectors (40, 400) are mountedbetween the wine rack modules (100) to fasten the wine rack modules(100) together. Each connector (40, 400) has a core, and multiple arms(41). The arms (41) are formed on and protrude radially from the core ofthe connector (40,400), and each arm (41) has a distal end and a sleeve(411). The sleeve (411) is formed on the distal end of the arm (41), ismounted around a corresponding connecting tube (30) and corresponds toand is mounted around a neck (31) on the corresponding connecting tube(30). Linear connectors (40) have two arms (41) and connect two adjacentwine rack modules (100), and complex connectors (400) have more than twoarms (41) and connect three or more wine rack modules (100) together ata complex joint. With further reference to FIG. 4, each complexconnector (400) may comprise two linear connectors (40) and at least onepin (43). Each linear connector (40) has at least one hole (42) formedin the core of the linear connector (40). The pin (43) is mounted in theholes (42) respectively in the two linear connectors (40) to fasten thetwo linear connectors (40) together.

Since the connectors (40, 400) securely fasten multiple wine rackmodules (100) together, the wine rack modules can be disassembled tomany wine rack modules to occupy a small volume when stored ortransported. Furthermore, the modular wine rack will not inadvertentlycollapse easily. The modular wine rack can have as many wine rackmodules as the user needs.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the presentinvention have been set forth in the foregoing description, togetherwith details of the structure and features of the invention, thedisclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details,especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts withinthe principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by thebroad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims areexpressed.

1. A modular wine rack comprising multiple wine rack modules fastenedtogether to form the modular wine rack assembly, and each wine rackmodule comprising two panels fastened together to form a wine rackmodule, and each panel having an edge; multiple through holes formedthrough the panel; and multiple fastening holes formed through thepanel; multiple connecting tubes mounted between the panels to connecttwo panels together to form the wine rack module, and each connectingtube having two ends; and a fastening hole formed longitudinally throughconnecting tube and aligning with the fastening hole in the panel; andmultiple fasteners extending respectively through the fastening holes inthe panels and connecting respectively to the fastening holes in theconnecting tubes; multiple linear connectors mounted between the winerack modules to fasten the wine rack modules together and each having acore; and two arms formed on and protrude radially from the core of theconnector, and each arm having a distal end; and a sleeve formed on thedistal end of the arm and mounted around a corresponding connectingtube.
 2. The modular wine rack as claimed in claim 1 further comprisesat least one complex connector having a core; more than two arms formedon and protruding radially from the core, each arm having a distal end;and a sleeve formed on the distal end of the arm and mounted around acorresponding connecting tube.
 3. The modular wine rack as claimed inclaim 2, wherein the fastening holes are near the edge of the panel;each connecting tube has at least one neck formed on one end of theconnecting tube and is thinner than the connecting tube; and the sleeveof the arm of each one of the linear and the at least one complexconnectors corresponds to and is mounted around the a neck of acorresponding connecting tube.
 4. The modular wine rack as claimed inclaim 3, wherein each connecting tube has two necks formed respectivelyon the ends of the connecting tube.
 5. The modular wine rack as claimedin claim 2, wherein each one of the at least one complex connectorcomprises two linear connectors fastened together to form the complexconnector, and each linear connector having at least one hole formed inthe core of the linear connector; and at least one pin mounted in theholes in the two linear connectors to fasten the two linear connectorstogether.
 6. The wine rack assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein eachone of at least one complex connector comprises two linear connectorsfastened together to form the complex connector, and each linearconnector having at least one hole formed in the core of the linearconnector; and at least one pin mounted in the holes in the two linearconnectors to fasten the two linear connectors together.
 7. The winerack assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastening holes arethreaded; and the fasteners are screws.
 8. The wine rack assembly asclaimed in claim 6, wherein the fastening holes are threaded; and thefasteners are screws.